Colombia pushes constitutional amendment to protect life from fertilization as Chile moves to ban surrogacy

In Colombia, a pro‑life parliamentary group has filed a legislative proposal to amend Article 11 of the Constitution, explicitly stating that human life begins at fertilization and granting special constitutional protection to embryos. The bill will begin its process in the Colombian Congress, aiming to spark a national debate on the scope of life‑rights protections.

In Chile, Deputy Juan Irarrázaval has introduced a bill that would prohibit all forms of gestational surrogacy, arguing that the practice commercialises women and endangers the dignity of mothers and children. Critics contend the proposal fails to distinguish between exploitative and consensual arrangements, warning it could drive families to seek surrogacy abroad.

Both initiatives reflect a broader regional trend of legislative efforts to tighten regulations on reproductive technologies and define the legal status of early human life.